Stanza
Stanza 'is a warrior hired by the mayor of Bossage to rescue any survivors in the neighboring areas and towns after the return of the Enchanted Mercenary Army. She joins the Bossage Rescue Party to accomplish this. She makes her appearance in Mercenary Road. Appearance She is considered to be quite a beauty but bears a scar down her right cheek. Like Strider, the warrior had an unearthly air about her that’d left hundreds of soldiers paralyzed. When she smiles its usually a thin smile chiseled on her lips—a smile made of ice. She has the defining qualities of a warrior although she is surprisingly feminine with her mannerisms for the occupation she carries. Her armor is crafted from soft but resilient scales of fire dragon. More then it’s strength, the armor's strong point was the way the scales were attached to allow freedom of movement. The woman’s form was free of earrings, necklaces, rings, or any other trinkets, and the only ornamentation on her armor, gloves, and leg protectors were cuts and scorch marks. Later she is wearing a long coat which she carries additional weapons such as a pair of old-fashioned revolvers. She wears a sword of ordinary length over her shoulder. She uses pencil-like darts as projectile weapons, which are stuck through her belt. Personality Stanza is an even tempered professional of the the highest class. She has the personality that is ideal in a female warrior being highly skilled, no nonsense, able to read the intentions of others, recognizes her strengths and weaknesses using both to her advantage, and quick to measure up the strengths and weaknesses of others using them in combat, negotiation, control in relationships, and asserting her ability over them. She is very feminine, where others of her profession can't afford it, she can in spades. Her weakness in her personality seems to be her inability to allow her rivals to ever completely outclass her. Usually this isn't a problem but becomes one when she meets D. D recognizes this immediately and tries his best to dissuade her from this road which would lead only to being cut down by him if she challenged him. But events do not go this way. Partially because D has other more important things to think about beside her well being. With Strider they seem to work well off each other despite their rivalry and them acting as though they don't like each other. Strider at times seems to show some affection toward her well being which she sarcastically acknowledges and seems to even appreciate. In the end her unwavering will gets her into trouble leading her to challenge D when she believes they are finally evenly matched thinking she could correct the past case of her being outclassed. Biography Stanza is a wandering warrior of high class ability, who takes jobs in line with those abilities. She is highly skilled in all areas of being a warrior, and has a will that is steely and unyielding. She reaches the village of Bossage after some traveling where she hears roomers about the many wars, and skirmishes spinning up. Then she comes across a job involving the Nobility and the Enchanted Mercenary Army having returned. Knowing this to be a big pay day to take on such a task she signs up for it, entering with negotiations with the mayor, which also involves a rival and soon to be partner Strider. He along with Stanza, after the negotiation, elect to press them for more money when the mayor gives them an under cutting price in comparison to what they would have them do for the work.This goes south when D arrives in town and accepts the job leaving them under cut even further in negotiations. Despite this the pair sign on and join D, refusing to let his proclamation that they would only be in the way discourage them, forming the Bossage Rescue Party later on. D leaves early going on a mission with Beatrice Gilbey leaving left hand to use his mimic voice ability to keep the mayor occupied listening with his hidden devices left in D's room. After he returns he tears through the town heading out where he is attacked by the army. A battle takes place where D tears through tanks with his bare hands, fends off multiple types of projectiles such as missiles, fire bombs, darts and Fog of Misdirection. The latter of which left hand sucks up and uses against their foes. Strider and stanza show up in a Combat Jeep destroying one of the attacking armored vehicles of the Enchanted Mercenary Army. They complain about being left behind which is cut short by more attacks. Blown free from the jeep he can only watch dumbfounded as D uses the missile launcher on the jeep firing manually which is usually impossible to do due to speed in an instant firing 20 missiles at once destroying all the attacking army, and the factory which held more of the army inside. A woman in an armored car during the battle who was escaping gets caught up in one of the blasts having the Motor Car she was driving flip over on its side. Pulling out from under the car he asks if she is ok. She says her name is Irene Slocum.After some discussion and disagreement on whether they are working together they get D to accept them forming the group. With this D agrees to allow them to have the information this woman, who is actually one of the survivors they have been commissioned to rescue, to give her account and vital intel on the army. She tells of how her father the Mayor of the village was making his normal daily rounds and came upon the approaching revived Army. He immediately calls for help and tries to evacuate as many as he can before they can reach the area. She was left behind by her family. She gives them intel on the army that she knows. The group decides to take her with them to Grand Duke Dorleac's castle as survivors have fled there where it is safe from the troops. As they are about to head out they are bombarded with fire bombs, the rest escape the Bunker she led them to via a secret passage that actually doubles for an ancient dwelling of the Rancor Ancient Race. Irene is possessed by the entity known as Rancor. This entity uses her body to speak to them telepathically and then to link their minds in a psychic bond. She tells them of this entity and the history of the ancient race. They are interrupted by an attack by the Enchanted Army where Stanza and Strider are both shot bringing them out of their trance. Stanza in particular is critically injured. The mercenaries are then destroyed by D who proceeds to knock out Irene with some supernatural strike. He carries off the pair with Strider following behind. Revives Irene who has been dispelled of her possession. After some protest of D to leave Stanza which seems to be a psychological manipulation to form a team like cohesion in the group, where Irene and Strider watch on as Left Hand heals Stanza with D tearing open her garments exposing her naked form pulling the bullet out with his bare hands. She heals completely with out a scar even being left from the incident. Left Hand muses about the situation with Rancor and it calming down a bit but still ready to find the best moment to lash out and destroy them all. They run into the Four Outlaws. This leads to the sleeper possessing Zenon to surface who seeks to challenge D when negotiations go south for D to join up with them to fight the supernatural soldiers. During the fight D's blade breaks and the group is then attacked by the soldiers again. D uses a pole as a weapon after breaking of the spear head to devastating affect in a brutal destruction of this round of attack. Strider is walked in on by D after ward who had been fending off his compatriots now covered in blood. After some discussion of what to do next they are attacked by another round. This round is taken out by Beatrice Gilbey. They load the injured Stanza onto the air balloon with Strider driving while D and Beatrice take the ground meeting up with them at a refuge. D replaces his sword while Stanza questions Mr. Gilbey. This leads to the warrior making a pass at her which ends with a smack on his cheek that leaves quite the mark. Strider is left behind along with Stanza to rest while D, Zenon, and Beatrice head out to recover Irene who has been captured. Strider and Stanza's moral is low due to feeling like baggage in the struggle. Before dawn, Strider had gotten worried about the long absence of D and the other two. Saying he was damned if he’d let them leave him behind, the warrior had set out to catch up with them. Though Stanza had pointed out that it was hopeless without some form of transportation, this only added fuel to the fire. Strider had stormed out, saying he’d find something soon enough. But he hadn't come back. If there were no further word from him, Stanza had intended to stay inside. But after about an hour had passed, there was a knock at the shelter’s door, and a sad masculine voice drifted through the intercom. Though she couldn't be sure it was Strider’s, she also couldn't ignore it. When she called out and there was no response, Stanza got to her feet. Gathering her weapons, she opened the door. At that moment, she lost consciousness. She figured it was gas. The pair are seen taken hostage by D and Beatrice as they just finished a battle with them and their captures flying over head to the Castle. D and Beatrice decide to go rescue them making it to the castle after meeting the Grand Duke in route. D asks where are the people who took refuge there, and the Duke responds they should be fine enough some where in the castle. Where he isn't sure. After a short battle they arrive there only to find they have all been slaughtered mercilessly. Continuing on they find the pair just after D senses a certain great power of which he is familiar. The power belonged to the Sacred Ancestor. D finds Irene who gives the account of what happened to her: Strange soldiers had carried the girl to a subterranean chamber, and a man who identified himself as Grand Duke Dorleac’s son Drago had just kissed her when Zenon came charging in. His showdown with the Nobleman had ended in a draw. There was a high-speed transport system underground, and Zenon and Irene had gotten into one of the cars and ridden it to the end of the line. Within the castle, they’d been attacked by insect-like sentry robots and Zenon had been wounded once again, so the girl had left him to go in search of medicine. Her account was quickly concluded. Stanza and Strider no where to be found had vanished when the great presence was felt. Later after some battle D finds Stanza and Strider. Strider fights the Duke head on getting blasted with heat but now due to being possessed by the great one's power gets up with out much effort and continues after him. D is left with Stanza who challenges him thinking she too is just as powerful as D due to having been given this power. But she finds she still is no match and pays the price with her life. Powers and Abilities '''Stanza is a top notch warrior. Highly skilled in many forms of combat including assassination, stealth, weapons of all types, and military tactics/skills. She can throw multiple darts in mere milliseconds at without making a sound. She always twisted to the left a split second before she hurled darts with her right hand, it was a stance she used to throw her darts with better efficiency. She develops a psychic bond and telepathic abilities when temporarily put under the power of Rancor but snaps out of the trance he was put under when shot. ' '''Bestowed Power From Sacred Ancestor- She later receives power from the Sacred Ancestor that allows her to fight evenly with D temporarily. Paraphernalia Long Sword- She wears a sword of ordinary length over her shoulder. Darts-She uses pencil-like darts as projectile weapons, which are stuck through her belt. Revolvers- Old fashioned weapons she carries in her coat’s inner pockets. She gives one to Irene Slocum. Category:Warrior Category:Females Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Mercenary